Arkansas Blog

The open line: Perils of deregulation and religious roots of a new charter school leader

The line is open on a glorious Easter Sunday. Some more recommended reading:

* A LESSON FOR ARKANSAS: The rising Republican majority in Arkansas draws its talking points straight from the national playbook. Get government out of the way of business. Excessive regulation, particularly in environmental matters, is bad for business. Exploitation of minerals is good for everybody with scant downside. Republicans are riding this playbook — and big money from the Kochs and the coal industry — to a political turnaround in historically Democratic West Virginia. Perhaps you've heard of the coal industry chemical that has polluted the water supply for a big part of that state's population? You should read more about the political background and unanswered health questions still hanging in this fine report from the New Yorker. When the article talks about the coal caucus, think of the Arkansas frackers' caucus and Jason Rapert, Tom Cotton and Tim Griffin, to name a few of the extraction industry's big boosters in Republican ranks. Same talking points. Same bullying tactics.